One Hundred Select Sermons, Old Testament · Sermon 32
SERMON XXXII.
Prov. 17.3.
The Fining Pot is for Silver, and the Furnace for Gold; but the Lord tryeth the Hearts.
Thoſe things which we look upon as matter of Greateſt Conſequence, we think we have need to exerciſe the Greateſt Care and Caution about them. Hence it is that in Civil Affairs, and Buſineſſes of our ordinary Concern; our Gold, and Silver, and Coin: And ſuch things as theſe, they do not uſually paſs us without ſome tryal and probation of them. We have our Touch-Stone for the diſcovery of the Truth of them, and our Ballance for the diſcovery of the Weight of them, and our Furnace for the ſeparating of the Droſs. Neither does it leſs behove us to be wary in Spiritual Matters, where by how much the greater is our Concernment, by ſo much the more dangerous is our Miſcarriage; and the better the things themſelves are in their own nature, the worſe will it be for us to miſtake about them. For this reaſon does the Spirit of God, in this Scripture which we have now before us, lead us from the one to the other; and from the care which is uſed about our Metals, carry us to the care of our Minds: yea, God himſelf, his care for us. The Fining Pot is for Silver, and the Furnace for Gold; but the Lord tryeth the Hearts.
THe Text is a Parabolical Deſcription of God's Almighty Power and Wiſdom, for the diſcovery and Reformation of the cloſeſt, and ſubtileſt, and perfectest thing in the World; which is the Heart of Man, ſet forth by a Similitude taken from things of ordinary uſe amongſt us; The refining of Silver, and the purging and purifying of Gold. The words, they do at the firſt hearing carry in them the form of an Oppoſition, but they have indeed the force of a Compariſon; wherein the Lord's dealing with the hearts and ſpirits of men, as to the tryal of them, is reſembled and illuſtrated by the Gold-Smith's dealing with his Silver and Gold. And we may in the (for Order's ſake) take notice of theſe two general Parts, the Propoſition & the Reddition; The Propoſition in the firſt part; The fining pot is for ſilver, and the furnace for gold: The Reddition in the latter; But the Lord tryeth the hearts.
We begin with the Firſt, viz. The Propoſition, in theſe words; The fining pot is for ſilver, and the furnace for Gold; but the Lord tryeth the hearts. Wherein two things more.
Firſt, The Metals mentioned; and they are, Silver and Gold.
Secondly, The Inſtruments which are made uſe of in reference to them; and they are the Fining Pot and the Furnace. Each of theſe have their proportionable reſemblance.
Firſt, For the Metals here mentioned; we have Silver and Gold, which hold analogy and correſpondency with the hearts of the Sons of Men, which follows afterwards in the Text: they are ſet out very properly and fitly by theſe expreſſions; and that eſpecially in regard of the price and value of them. we know that theſe are for the moſt part, of greateſt eſteem of any thing elſe: What ever is of Account in the World, it is commonly ſet forth by theſe two, Silver and Gold, as ye may ſee in divers inſtances. The Excellency of Seaſonable Language, it is like apples of gold in pictures of ſilver; Prov. 25.11. The ſeveral Gifts and Graces of the Church; Borders of Gold, with Studs of Silver. The Return of the Churches Captivity; Wings of Silver, and Feathers of Gold; Pſal. 68.13. Sacred and ſubſtantial Doctrine is called Gold, and Silver, and Precious Stones; 1 Cor. 2.12. And ſo here; the hearts of men, ſilver and gold. This it is true of all men's hearts whatſoever, conſidered at large, in the natural conſideration of them, being of a finer and purer frame than the reſt of the Creatures: But it is tue of thoſe who are gracious and regenerate, eſpecially above the reſt; The tongue of the just is as choice ſilver, whilſt the heart of the wicked is nothing worth: Prov. 10.20. Good men, they are like Gold and Silver in ſundry regards.
Firſt, From the Solidity and Subſtantialness of their Principles: They are ſuch as have ſome ſtrength in them. Take ſome men in the World, and conſider them in reference to Religion, and they have no bottom nor weight in them at all; they are flaſhy and empty Chriſtians, who have nothing at all in them but Profeſſion: But the Saints and Servants of God, they are ſolid and ſubſtantial; which makes them ſo much the better to perſiſt and to hold out to the end. They are like Gold and Silver thus, which are the ſolidest Metals of any other.
Secondly, From the Purity and Sincerity of their Converſation. They have not thoſe Mixtures and Adulterations which many others have. There are divers which, as God calls them by his Prophet Jeremy; Jer. 6. ult. Reprobate ſilver: Their ſilver is become …ro…. Iſa. 1.22. If they have any ſeeming good in them, it is daubed, and very much defiled; little of that plain-heartedneſs and ſimplicity of Chriſt, which the Scripture here commends unto us. But for Good Chriſtians, this is their Character; that they are pure and undefiled in their way, Pſal. 119.2.
Thirdly, From the Splendor of their Example. Gold and Silver, they are ſuch Metals, as which does carry the greatest luſtre in them of any other beſides. And ſo do good Chriſtians: They ſhine like lights in the world, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe generation, among whom they live: And Their light ſo ſhines before men, as that they ſeeing their good works, are hence provoked to glorifie their Father which is in heaven. And ſo much briefly of the firſt Particular in this firſt General, viz. The Metals here mentioned Silver and Gold.
The Second is the Inſtruments which are made uſe of in reference to them; and they are the Fining Pot and the Furnace: Whereby is ſignified to us the ſtate and condition of the beſt men that are. Their hearts are like Gold and Silver; but it is like Gold and Silver in the Ore; which has a great deal of Dross mingled with it, and muſt be ſeparated from it by God's Inſtruments of Purification, which he has appointed for ſuch a purpoſe as this is. There is nothing almoſt, in nature, which is preſented to us with that perfection, but that it is a fit Subject for Art and Skill to work it ſelf upon: Even the best Metals that are, they are not right till ſuch time as they are refined; nor the moſt precious Stones that are, they do not attain to their ſplendor till they be poliſhed. And if it be ſo in Naturals, it is ſo in Spirituals more eſpecially. Take thoſe perſons which for the preſent are the beſt and holyeſt that are, and look upon them in maſſa corrupta, in the principles of their unregenerate condition, and there is little or no lovelineſs in them in the midſt of the beſt natural Parts and Qualifications: Beſides, we are all by nature the Children of Wrath, and Bond-ſlaves of Sin, till God puts us into his Fining Pot and his Furnace. This we may be ſure, and take notice of for our inſtruction; we are not born Chriſtians, but made ſo: Chriſtiani Non naſciuntur, ſed ſiunt: It is not a buſineſs of Nature, but a buſineſs of Art: Nor of Humane Art neither, but Divine; as we ſhall ſee more hereafter out of the following words of the Text, The Lord tryeth the hearts.
And therefore this may diſcover to us the vanity of all ſuch perſons as have other conceits of it; which think to be Gold and Silver as they come out of the impure Earth, without refining in their pure Naturals. No, it will not be. If we have no other Principles in us, than which we brought with us into the World, we ſhall never be Currant Coin in God's Account, no ſuch as he will one day take or accept from us: But he will reject us and caſt us away at the Great Day and time of Payment. Therefore (I ſay) let us here take notice of our Conditions in this particular, and ſee what we are. Take the best of us by nature, and there we are nothing but Droſs; no Gold nor Silver at all in us, but ſuch as is counterfeit. And take us when Grace has refined us, and we have many groſs and droſſy Intermixtures ſtill adhering to us; which will not be removed, but by thoſe means which God has ſanctified and ſet apart for ſuch a purpoſe a theſe here before us in the Text.
Theſe are here under a Double Specification; The Fining Pot, and the Furnace; which have their anſwerable Preparations even in Spirituals. The Fining Pot, that is the Word of God: And the Furnace, that is the Rod of God. Either of theſe does the Lord, as he ſees ſitting, take an occaſion to purifie his Servants by.
Firſt, By his Word, he deſires to begin with that; The word of the Lord tryed him, Pſal. 105.29. And ſo it does many more beſides. This it has a Special Vertue through the power of God's Spirit joyning with it to reform and better the heart, and to purge away its droſs from it; Heb. 4.12. For the word of God is quick and powerful, and ſharper than any two-edged ſword; piercing even to the dividing aſunder of ſoul and ſpirit, and of the joynts and marrow; and is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This it will ſhew a man his Corruption of Nature, and diſcover to him the wickedneſs which is in his heart: As we have divers inſtances hereof in the Diſciples that went to Emmaus; Did not our hearts burn within us: And St. Peter's Converts; When they heard it, they wee pricked at their hearts: And ſo the Jay…o…, and divers others, to whom the Word of God has been inſtead of a Fining Pot to ſeparate their Corruption from them, as to diſcover it to them.
Secondly, By Affliction, that is his Furnace; Iſa. 58.10. I have refined thee, but not with ſilver; I have choſen thee in the furnace of affliction. Affliction is God's Furnace, wherein he purges and purifies his Gold, and takes away the droſs of it: And accordingly does the Scripture repreſent it. Therefore it is called the Fiery Tryal, which is to try us; 1 Pet. 4.12. And the tryal of our faith, which is much more precious than the gold that periſheth, though it be tryed with fire, &c. 1 Pet. 1.7.
Therefore we ſhould ſo look upon it, and be perſwaded of it, and of God's Intendments in the impoſing of it. The Furnace, it is not for the hurt of the Gold, but for the advantage; to make it more pure, and uſeful, and precious, to form it in ſome Veſſel of Service and Honour, ſit for the Master's uſe; and ſo are Troubles and Afflictions to the people of God: which ſhould make them the more patiently to bear them when he lays them upon them. It is true that this is an harſh Doctrine to Fleſh and Blood, and we are all ready to ſhrink at it; but Grace, it will cloſe with it ſo far forth as it is prevailing in any meaſure in us, And ſo it ſhould. We ſhould look upon the Furnace, not ſo much in the heat of it, but in the improvement, the end of ſetting it up, and the effect which follows upon it; and then we ſhall be ſatisfied exceedingly by it: as the Apoſtle intimates to us, Heb. 12.11. There is no chaſtiſement which for the preſent is joyous, but grievous: nevertheleſs, afterwards it brings forth the peaceable fruit of Righteouſneſs to thoſe which are excerciſed thereby. This is that which we ſhould look upon, ſuch Diſpenſations as theſe, in the love and Wiſdom of God which does appoint them, and the bleſſed and happy Fruit which does ariſe from them.
And further labor alſo to be bettered by every hand of God upon us, that ſo therein we may cloſe with his gracious Ends: If God caſts us into the Furnace, to come out of it better then we went in, be ſure of that, otherwiſe it will be ſo much the worſe for us: Yea, if we be true Gold indeed, it will be ſo with us, Corruption it is hardened by Affliction, but Grace it is refined. Take a man that has a wicked heart, and croſſes they do not make him better but make him worſe, more impatient and obſtinate and Rebellious, and ſtanding out againſt God, and conteſting with him, like that wretched Jehoram, 2 Kings 6, ult. But a man that hath a true work of Grace wrought upon his Spirit, he will be ſo much the better, more wary of himſelf, more compaſſionate to others, more meek and humble, tractable and obedient and thankfull. Theſe things will follow with it. But ſo much for this, as alſo of the Firſt General in the Text, viz. The Propſition, The Fining pot, &c.
The Second follows, which is the Reddition, But the Lord Tryeth, &c. According to the uſual manner of Speech, it ſhould not be but but ſo: But we will take it as lies before us, where this Adverſative Particle hath a Threefold Emphaſis in it. Firſt an Emphaſis of Proportion. Secondly, an Emphaſis of Exception. Thirdly, an Emphaſis of Deſignment or of Appropriation.
An Emphaſis of Proportion Firſt, by taking but for ſo: And ſo it ſignifies thus much unto us, that the Lord is no leſs able or carefull to try the hearts of the Sons of men, then the Goldſmith is his Silver and Gold: As that does the one, ſo does this alſo the other, ſo the Lord tryeth the hearts. When we ſpeak of Gods trying of the heart, it may be taken two manner of ways: Either firſt of all in a way of Diſcovery, or Secondly, in a way of Purification: He tries them to make known what is in them, and he tries them to remove that which is corrupt and amiſs from them! to each purpoſes he tries them.
Firſt, In a way of Diſcovery: He tries them ſo as to diſcern them, and make known what they are, This the Lord does, and this he is ſaid to do in Scripture, not only here but elſewhere, Thus Exod. 16.4. I will rain bread from heaven, that I may prove them whether they will walk in my Law or not, Exod. 20.20. God is come to prove you that his fear may be before your faces that ye ſin not. Deut. 8.2. He proved them to know what was in their hearts, &c. And Deut. 13.24. The Lord our God proveth you, &c. This although it be ſpoken after the manner of men, yet it is not ſo to be underſtood by us: There's a great deal of difference betwixt Gods Tryings and mens; for men when they try they uſe ſome means for the diſcovery of that to them which they knew not before, and for the knowing of that more fully perfectly which they knew but in Part: But with God it is not ſo, He is ignorant of nothing, and therefore cannot in this ſenſe be ſaid to try: But when he tries us it is to diſcover and make known our ſelves to our ſelves, that what we as yet know not he may manifeſt and diſcover to us. Tentat Deus ut ipſe hominem inveniat, ſed ut homo ſe inveniat, as Auſtin calls, God he therefore tries not that he may find out man, but that man may find out himſelf, and be ſenſible of his own condition.
Now for this kind of Tryal, to wit by way of diſcovery, there is a double time and ſeaſon of it, Firſt of all ſometimes even now in this time of the World. He takes occaſion to diſcover many perſons both to others and to themſelves. To themſelves in their own Conſciences. And to others in the open view and beholding of them, thus 2 Tim. 3.8, 9. They ſhall proceed no farther, for their folly ſhall be made manifeſt to all men, ſo 1 Tim. 5.24, 25. Some mens ſins are open before hand, &c. God makes tryal both of mens Graces, and of their Sins, even in this preſent time.
And he has divers ways to do it according to his different Providence and Diſpenſations to us in the World: Sometimes by his Mercies, and ſometimes by his Judgements, ſometimes by his dealings with themſelves, and ſometimes by his dealings with others, ſometimes by his inlarging himſelf to them, and ſometimes by withdrawing of himſelf from them. There are not more perſons to be Tryed then there are various and different ways for the Tryal of them, and diſcovery of what is in them.
But Secondly, As here in this World, ſo eſpecially in the World to come, and in the day of Chriſts ſecond comming. The day of Diſcovery or Revolution, Rom. 2.8. And 1 Cor. 3.13. Every mans work ſhall be manifeſted for the day ſhall declare it, and the fire ſhall try every mans work of what ſort it is. Thats a ſpecial time and ſeaſon for this purpoſe indeed. And thoſe which may ſcapethe teſt now yet then they ſhall be ſure to undergo it and be ſubject to it. God will bring every ſecret thing to light, and every work whether it be good or bad, Eccl. 12.14.
The improvement which we may make of this Point comes to this, namely, from hence to teach us ſo much the rather to try our ſelves. The Lord will try us, either ſooner or later. Therefore let us look to our own hearts and try them. It is that which does of courſe follow upon it as a neceſſary inference. We muſt prove our ſelves, that ſo we may be approved: As Schollars that muſt ſay to their Maſters will firſt ſay to themſelves. It is a peice of wiſdom ſo to do, that we may not be ſurpriſed and overtaken before we are aware. Let as ſearch and try our ways and turn unto the Lord our God, Lam. 3.40. Try our Graces what ſtrength and weight there is in them, and try our actions what goodneſs and ſincerity there is in them. And ſo much the rather as we may the better be able to ſuffer this tryal we ſpeak of.
And that eſpecially upon any ſpecial occaſion which is adminiſtred unto us, whether of Service or Comfort and Affliction: Either of theſe do call for this eſpecial work of ſelf-examination and tryal here commended unto us from the Lords trying of us.
To ſet home this Point more effectually, we may take no…ce of the word which is here mentioned, and that is the Heart, The Lord tryeth the Hearts. And we have two things in it: Firſt, It is an Emphatical Expreſſion. And Secondly, It is an Indefinite Expreſſion. It is an emphatical Expreſſion, The Hearts; as that which is principally to be looked after. And it is an indefinite Expreſſion, The Hearts; that is, of all men, whoſoever they are, without exception.
Firſt, Take it Emphatically: The Lord tryeth the heart, as that which is principally to be looked after, as the main and firſt moving Wheel; for ſo it is. God looks at that which is the chiefeſt, and moſt to be regarded, and that is the Heart: If that be right, all will be right with it; eye, and ear, and tongue, and hands, and all other parts, they all conform to this; ſo that he has reaſon to try this. God looks after that moſt which Man looks after leaſt; For man looketh after the appearance, but the Lord looketh after the heart; as the Lord himſelf told Samuel, 1 Sam. 16.7. This is the General Principle which carries on all the reſt. That we are what we are in our hearts, whether in reſpect to God or Men; whether ye take the heart for the vigor of it, the life and ſpirit of the performance; or whether ye take the heart for the truth of it, the ſincerity and reality of the performance: it is this which is all in all; for which reaſon, God tryeth the heart. The Heart Emphatically.
But Secondly, The Hearts indefinitely; univerſally, and without exception. Here is none which can eſcape this Scrutiny; neither high nor low, rich nor poor, wiſe nor unwiſe, whatſoever: All men's hearts muſt come to the Touch-stone, and undergo this Tryal of God upon them. He comes within men's private Cloſets and Cabinets, though never ſo much retired. He ſearcheth the hearts, and tryeth the reins, as it is often ſaid of him in Scripture.
This is a matter of awaking to all diſſembling and hypocritical perſons, whoſoever they are; whoſe hearts are not perfect with God in the midſt of all pretences to him; that God will at laſt find them out, and diſcover what they are. And though they may lye hid to men, and carry a fair ſhew to them; yet, he will not be deceived by them; as our bleſſed Saviour tells the Phariſees, Luk. 16.15. Ye are they which juſtifie your ſelves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly eſteemed amongst men, is an abomination in the ſight of God.
And ſo, as a matter of Terror and Aſtoniſhment to thoſe which are evil, ſo of Comfort and Encouragement alſo to thoſe which are good: There is great ſatisfaction in this, that the Lord tryeth the hearts, in as much as they can appeal to him for his Vindication of them: As Peter; Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee; ſo of any thing elſe. In our ſighings, and groanings, and liſpings out of Prayer unto him; that he ſearcheth the hearts, and knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, as the Apoſtle ſignifies, Rom. 8.26. All my deſire is before thee, ſays David, and my groaning is not hid from thee; Pſal. 38.9. What a great comfort was this to David? and ſo when he had a mind to build God a Temple, God ſaw that it was in his heart, and commended and recorded him for it as if it had been actually accompliſhed by him; 1 King. 2 18. Whereas it was in thine heart to build an Houſe unto my Name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. God judgeth of his Actions by his Affections; and ſo he will do of any others where they are real and ſincere, accept of the will for the deed; and that which we would do in the uprightneſs and integrity of our ſpirits, to account as done by us.
And ſo likewiſe as to the thing it ſelf, ſo to the manner. Though there may be failings in ſome particular circumſtances, yet the Lord tryeth the hearts, and judgeth of his Servants according to the Habitual Frame and Diſpoſstion of Spirit which is in them: There is much comfort in this.
And ſo much may be ſpoken of the First Notion in which Trying may be taken; namely, in a way of Diſcovery and Manifestation. The Lord tryeth the heart; namely, So.
The Second is in a way of Purification. He tries them; that is, he purges them, and removes their Corruptions from them. This is another thing which is obſerveable in him, and exhibited alſo in Scripture thus, Mal. 3.2, 3. He ſhall ſit as a refiner and purifyer of ſilver, and he ſhall purifie the ſons of Levi, and purge them as gold and ſilver. And this (not excluding the former) ſeems principally to be here intended in this Text; as may appear by the force of the Compariſon, which is uſed for the Illuſtration of it. The Lord undertakes the purging of the hearts of thoſe which belong unto him, and removing of their Corruptions from them. Thus alſo, Zach. 13.9. I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as ſilver is refined, and will try them as gold is tryed; they ſhall call on my name.
This the Lord delights to do upon ſundry conſiſiderations:
Firſt, Out of love to themſelves, that he may make them Veſſels of Honour. God has a ſpecial regard to their betterment and amendment in it, as the Gold-Smith has to his Gold: which we ſhewed out of the former words.
Secondly, In reference to their Works, That they may bring forth more fruit; Joh. 18.2. And that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteouſneſs; Mal. 2.3. An untryed, that is, an unpurified heart cannot preſent any thing acceptable to God, nor do any thing which is well pleaſing in his ſight: Ʋnto the pure all things are pure all things are pure; but to them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their mind and conſcience is defiled: as it is in Tit. 1.18.
And then Thirdly, For the ſake of others alſo; there is much good which comes likewiſe to them. The Tryals of ſome of God's Servants make very much for the Improvement of the rest: As we may ſee indivers examples of the Saints, if we look into the Book of God.
This is firſt, Matter of due Thank fulneſs and Acknowledgment from us. We have great cauſe to bleſs God, who is pleaſed to take ſuch courſes with us; not to ſuffer our Rust to eat into us, or our Droſs to adhere and ſtick cloſe to us over-long, without ſome purging of it away from us. Where we learn, alſo, to ſubmit to his Skill and Wiſdom in this particular. The Clay may not ſay to the Potter, What dost thou? nor yet the Gold and Silver his Refiner. If God will pleaſe at any time to try us and purge away our Iniquities from us, we muſt leave it to his Holy Providence by what ways to do it for us as he ſhall judge moſt fitting and expedient; whether by his Word or by his Rod, by Mercies or Croſſes; by the fire, or any other way: It is enough for us that God will purifie us; but which way he ſhould do it, whether in this, or in that: this we muſt freely commit to himſelf to determine for us.
Therefore we may farther here add for this purpoſe; That as there is an indefiniteneſs in the Object, ſo likewiſe in the Act: As it is Hearts indefinitely, ſo it is Try indefinitely alſo; neither limiting it to the Fining Pot or to the Furnace, not to one more than to another.
Secondly, As this is matter of Thank fulneſs, ſo it is, moreover, matter of Enquiry: We ſhould try how far forth this Tryal hath past upon us, and hath had effect in us that we may be pure Metal to Christ, and he may take ſome delight in us; which otherwiſe he will not do. And more eſpecially, after thoſe means of Tryal which God hath been pleaſed to uſe towards us; and as I mentioned before, let us ſee what we are after theſe; when we have been in the Fining Pot, and in the Furnace, how much better we are for them. It is an Examination which may well become us, whether our hearts or no, for our particular, have come under theſe meltings of God here implyed: If they have, they will run out ſo much the more in obedience to him; as in the place before cited, Zach. 13.9. I will try them as Gold is tryed, and they ſhall call upon my Name. Where there is Liquatio Metalli, as we may ſo ſpeak; the melting and overflowing of the Metal. This Gold being tryed, it does run out in calling upon God, and owning him for theirs. And ſo much for this But in the firſt ſenſe, as it has an Emphaſis of Proportion.
The Second is an Emphaſis of Exception; But the Lord tryeth the hearts: As reſtraining the skill of the Refiner in this particular; he may be able to refine his Silver and Gold, and try and diſcover thoſe Metals; Oh! but he cannot try the heart! This is ſo deep a bottom as there is no Creature can dive into it; nay, not even the Devil himſelf, unleſs there where we open the door unto him. There is no outward means whatſoever which, in the ſimple uſe of them can better the Inward Man: As not the Refinings, ſo neither the Offerings of Gold and Silver will better the heart in any meaſure. In matters of the World men can ſometimes extend their skill inwardly, as Phyſicians now and then to the detecting, and likewiſe curing of inward Diſeaſes: But in ſpiritual things here we are at a loſs, and are miſtaken if we expect any thing from them; where (by the way) we have condemned the Superſtitious Conceits of Papists, and ſuch like, in this matter.
Thirdly, This does further carry in it an Emphaſis of Appropriation; But the Lord tryeth the hearts: that is, the Lord alone, and none but He. This is his Prerogative; and that as to both Explications of Tryal, whether by Diſcovery or Reformation.
If we take it by way of Diſcovery, as the Lord ſays, ſo he does it alone; that is, infallibly and effectually. It is his Title to be The Searcher and Tryer of the heart; and he hath taken it upon him as that which he means to perform.
This does not exclude others abſolutely and in ſubordination to him: It is that which ſome others may do, and it is that which others ought to do according as they are called thereunto; to try and ſift the hearts and ſpirits of other men, and to diſcern what they are: whether in order to converſe with them, that ſo they may get no hurt from them; or in order to their further benefit and instruction. There may be uſe of it likewiſe ſo.
But Firſt, None can try the heart thus Authoritatively. And
Secondly, None can try it thus effectually and infallibly, and with ſo much ſucceſs.
Not ſo Authoritatively, any; becauſe none hath that power over it. The Heart and Conſcience of a a Chriſtian is in ſubjection to none but him that made it.
Not ſo Infallibly neither, becauſe none have that piercing inſight into it. Men, when all is done, they can but gueſs, and conjecture, and imagine, and make ſuppoſition: But the Lord, he knows the Heart in every winding and turning of it; yea, even The thoughts of it afar off, as the Pſalmist expreſſes it, in Pſal. 139.2.
This teaches us accordingly to go to him for the diſcovery both of our own hearts and others, as to whom it does belong. When we would try our own private hearts (a Duty which I mentioned before) we ſee here how to do it moſt ſucceſsfully; and that is, by taking in God to help us herein: as David himſelf gives us a pattern in that Pſalm, Pſal. 139.23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: And ſee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting. Know; that is, make me to know thee for my particular.
And ſo, as for our ſelves, ſo for others, when we would know what is in them. Let us take this courſe alſo to ſeek direction from him: As the Diſciples, when they were to chuſe a new Apoſtle, and had caſt Lots between Justus and Matthias; They prayed, and ſaid; Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, ſhew which of theſe thou hast choſen; Act. 2.24.
Again further, Seeing this is God's Prerogative to try and judge the heart, let us hence learn not to incroach upon it, and to aſſume it to our ſelves by paſſing raſh and peremptory judgment upon any: Take heed of that; we may diſcern, but we may not abſolutely determine; being the Property of God alone. This is urged by the Apoſtle Paul himſelf, and in his own caſe; 1 Cor. 4.4, 5. He that judgeth me is the Lord: Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come; who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and will make manifest the counſels of the hearts. It is the propriety and peculiarity of God to try the heart by way of Diſcovery.
It is his again, alſo, by way of Reformation. As none can try it, that is, know it but He, ſo none can try it, that is, purge it but He neither: He alone can take away the iniquities, and defilements, and pollutions of it, which cleave unto it. It is He alone which can take away the heart of Stone, and gives a new heart of Fleſh. It is His Grace alone which is ſtronger than Sin and Corruption which is in us.
Therefore this ſhould teach us to have our eyes ſtill fixed upon him. When at any time we come to the Ordinances, and to be made partakers of the Word, the Fining Pot, as it were, for Silver; and which it ſelf is as Silver refined, and tryed in the Furnace. See here where our Expectations would be faſtened; not ſo much upon the inſtruments, as upon God himſelf, who is the Worker of it. Alas! we are but Bringers of things together, it is he who gives efficacy to them: Who is Paul, and who is Apollo, but ministers by whom ye believed; 1 Cor. 3.5. We are to do what in us lies, and to commend the efficacy and ſucceſs unto him.
And ſo as Ministers for their People, ſo Parents for their Children. There is many a Godly Parent, which does earneſtly deſire the Converſion of his Child, and the changing of his evil heart. Now we ſee who muſt do it, when all comes to all: Not that it muſt be cast upon him ſo as to neglect other helps: There muſt be the Refinings of good Education, which is a very great conducement hereunto; but this, it muſt not be rested in, without Addreſſes made to the Lord.
And to conclude, Where any do partake of any cleanſings in their own hearts, let them ſee here to whom to give the Honour and Glory of them; even, to Him, who hath wrought them in them: O Lord, (ſays Jeremy) I know that the way of man is not in himſelf, it is not in man that walketh to direct his ſteps; Jer. 10.23. No, it belongs to Him; and let him therefore be acknowledged for it. We are ſaid ſometimes to purifie our ſelves; but it is ſtill meant in the ſtrength of his Grace aſſiſting us, and concurring with us: Whom therefore we muſt bleſs and praiſe for it; Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Nome give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's ſake; Pſal. 115.1. That is the third Emphaſis here ſignified, which is an Emphaſis of Appropriation: The Lord, that is, the Lord alone, tryeth the hearts. So much for that.
So I have done with the Second General Part of the Text, which is the Reddition in the Compariſon: And ſo much alſo of the whole Text it ſelf.